What a Coincidence
by Alivex
Summary: A girl is found by Aleera in the forest, and she has a bit of a problem. Plus, said girl has a secret, she just doesnt know it yet. Follows the movie with alot of changes...OOC but arent all fanfiction?
1. The Girl

Disclaimer: However much I wish I owned Van Helsing cough Dracula cough I don't, so please don't sue. All I own is all the people you don't recognize. crowd cheers yes, yes thank you, I know they're amazing. Ű

Prologue:

The Girl

The young girl was terrified. Her breaths ragged, slowing her down. She could hear the snarls of the beast behind her, and pressed on, desperate to find release. She stumbled, losing precious ground of which could decide her fate.

The forest, while safe from outside harm, was a nuisance when you're in a hurry; the girl dodged the trees, not having the time to climb one. The undergrowth snagged and tore through cloth and flesh alike.

There were more, crashing through the greenery as if it were a leaf on a windy day. Her pace quickened, fuelled by fear, unwilling to give up and be pounced on. She came to a clearing; the full moon shone bright, lighting a path through the tree's. as she looked back, she saw over half a dozen timber wolves lining the side of the clearing from which she came.

They had spotted her; she could tell by the way the leader of the pact howled to the moon before slowly proceeding forward. Towards her. The girl backed up, too much. She hit the trunk of a huge oak, with no where else to go. The wolf saw this, but instead of attacking, swiped at her closest leg before running back off into the woods, like scolding a child for being somewhere they weren't supposed to.

When the wolf had swiped at her, it hit its mark. Extremely deeply. However, the girl only gasped. Trying to be careful of her leg, she took a step away from the tree, but exhaustion and loss of blood made her clumsy. She stumbled and let out a near inhuman shout of pain before collapsing in a heap, unconscious.

Dracula's brides were gliding over the forest surrounding castle Frankenstein, on their way back from causing havoc in a nearby town. For once, it was not the town of Anna Valerious.

The tempestuous blonde, Marishka, and the elegant, raven haired beauty, Verona, were talking about…well, pretty much everything. The fiery red headed Aleera was half-listening to their prattle, while also focusing on the passing tree's below. Once, she even thought someone had passed below them, heading to their left. She dismissed it, not really caring either way.

Suddenly, what sounded like a screatch hit her ears, stopping her from moving forward. Marishka and Verona saw this, and halted as well. "What is it Aleera? Are you alright?" Verona asked. Aleera reached up and was massaging her ear, looking east. :I'm fine Verona. You two go ahead; I need to check something out. Tell the master I'll be there soon." Verona nodded, as did Marishka, yet, she was slightly reluctant to d so.

As soon as Aleera saw them both flying off toward the now visible castle, she swooped sideways, towards the sound. She flew ober a strip of dirt, bleared of tree's; a passage through the forest. She knew the general location from where the yell came, so she quickly flew to an up ahead clearing before shifting back into her human form, pale pink strips of cloth sliding ober her arm as she did.

Aleera scanned the area, especially the outskirts of the clearing. At first, she saw nothing out of the ordinary, until she caught a flash of bright red near her at the base of an oak. Aleera rushed over to the figure, and knelt beside it. Lying the form on it's back, she came fave-to-face with an unconscious teenage girl, blood smeared across her pale skin.

Suddenly, the girls eyes fluttered open, before shutting tightly again in pain. Going into mother mode, Aleera asked, "Where does it hurt, dear?"

The girl groaned back, "Leg," When Aleera rested a hand on the girls shoulder, she jumped, eye's open for danger. "Hush, rest, I'll take care of you." Aleera soothed. The girl lost conscience once again before she could reply.

Sighing, Aleera rested a hand on the girls forehead, of which glowed blue. Near five minutes later, all the girl's injuries were healed over, no scarring or anything. Aleera sighed as she watched the girl slip into a restless slumber. What to do, what to do? She considered just leaving her there, but that didn't seem very right, with werewolves on the prowl.

Not making any sound, Aleera scooped up the girl after shifting, and flew off towards the castle ahead.


	2. Meeting Dracula

Chapter Two:

"WHAT!"

"The child is in my room, my master. I don't _know_ why, but I just couldn't _leave_ her there!" Aleera responded hotly. Dracula was livid. She _dare_ bring a human into _his_ castle! "I want her elsewhere! Now!"

Aleera took a moment to cool down before answering. "And she will be. But please," she started to beg, clutching his hand, "please just let me take care of her until she gets well again. You understand don't you?" Dracula saw a sorrow within her bright coffee colored eyes, and his expression softened somewhat.

"Aleera, I know how you long for a child." He sighed. He always just _had_ to give into his brides, didn't he? "Alright, my love. You may. But then she's gone, got it?" the sadness was covered in a blanket of delight before Aleera did what none of the brides ever dared to do; she kissed him full on the mouth before laughing in happiness and running out of the passage she and Dracula were in.

"Aleera!" she was accosted by Verona and Marishka as she crossed the threshold into their chambers. "What _is_ that human doing here?" Aleera received two very piercing looks. "I saved her. Out Master allowed me to keep her 'til she is well." She just couldn't stop smiling.

"He let you? But then what was that noise down there earlier?" Marishka asked.

"He was…irritated. She is human, after all. But this is out chance to see what it's like to be mothers!" all three brides were smiling by now.

"Aren't you human too?" asked a small voice from the stairs. Three heads whipped around to see the swaying form of the girl. Verona clucked her tongue and swept over to lead the girl over to one of the couches in the room they were in. "You could say we were." She answered vaguely. Aleera and Marishka settled themselves on the couch too, so that they could all talk. It was only a three person couch, but the brides didn't mind leaning against each other.

"So, what is your name? Why were you out in the heart of the Transylvanian forest--on the night of the full moon, of all nights?" Aleera inquired. The girl stayed silent for a moment, giving them time to actually study her. She had bright red hair, along with electric blue eyes. She was around fourteen, fifteen years of age and was about five foot seven, just shorter than the brides (all of whom were five foot eight, ironic, no?). She also appeared, if truth be told, withdrawn, and not just by the way she was sitting; she seemed to be capable of combat, and looked as if she practiced it often.

"My name is Larissa. I totally forgot it was a full moon, which was stupid, but my mind is kind of torn up. I was traveling to Transylvania, though." Larissa finally answered.

"Alone? At you age? _Why_?" Marishka asked, concerned.

Larissa was trembling. "My-my father was killed several weeks ago. I was looking for my mother; I remember my father telling me she lived in Transylvania. Unfortunately, I don't know what she looks like or anything. All I've got is a name. Nothing else."

"Don't worry" Verona soothed. "When you're better, we'll help you find her." Larissa smiled, tremors slightly abated.

They talked through the whole day, until the brides knew almost everything about her, from what her fathers job was (wolf- hunter of all kinds hint hint) to her favorite color (silver, gray). Funny thing was, Larissa didn't even know any of the bride's names, not even coming second hand, since they seemed to just know who was talking to whom without saying.

Somewhere a clock stroke ten p.m. and the brides jumped. Marishka rushed off the couch and threw back some drapes, which Larissa had thought to be a huge window, when it was in fact, a large balcony. The moon was just over the mountains, revealing the town below the hill on which the castle stood.

The brides' all sighed in pleasure as they saw them moon, now entirely content. Suddenly, Larissa yawned, and leaned against Verona's shoulder. When the women saw this, they immediately started fussing over their charge (you can't really blame them can you?), and sent her off to bed. She gave up a half-hearted fight, but ruined it by stifling a yawn in the middle of her tirade.

When the girl trudged upstairs, Marishka came and flung herself onto the couch, sprawling across the other two, who were still sitting there ("Hey!" "Ouch, Marishka that hurt!"). They sat/lay there for less than five minutes before Dracula burst into the room; well, it was more a 'thrust-the-double-doors-open-at-the-same-time-to-be-dramatic' entrance, but the could be considered the same. I guess. Anyway, it was almost as if he had been watching and waiting for the girl to go, because the look on his face showed he clearly knew she wasn't down here with them.

"So, my brides. Are you glad that the human is here? Or are you regretting it, hmm?" Dracula asked. The three women followed him to the balcony.

"Oh my lord, I love the girl already!" Marishka said quietly. Verona nodded and smiled in agreement. On the other hand, words were unnecessary with Dracula. If they dealt with the Bride's emotions, he could just sense them. Aleera didn't have to say anything. The happiness and peacefulness was radiating off of her. The only time Dracula had felt this strong an emotion from any of the woman surrounding him, was the first time Dr. Frankenstein's machine brought their children to life. They had died shortly after, and the brides were heartbroken, but that joy… After about the sixth failure, Dracula gave into the plea's to not try again.

Dracula was flung out of his thoughts when a hand was placed on his arm. "Hmm, what?" the women giggled, catching him off guard on a rare moment.

"I asked you when the last time was that you fed. You seem deprived." Verona said humor still lightly in her voice.

"Oh, no. I'm not; the next time I need to feed is…next week." He smiled in reassurance. The brides seemed to accept that. Suddenly, Dracula remembered a little piece of news that kind of set things back. "My brides," they all turned to him, all emotions riddled with concern at the solemn tone he used. "Word from Rome." and _we all_ know that's not a very good thing for Dracula. "The Holy Order has sent their best hunter along with a monk to, ah, take care of us. They should be here in the next month or so."

"So we'll take care of them the same way we've done with the others." Aleera said.

"We'll have to see. The last envoy's they sent were some of their worst field agents. To see what we could be capable of, so to speak. It might be a bit different this time." Dracula pressed.

The brides were unconvinced, still believing that it would be easy to rid the world of the hunters, but Dracula didn't say more on the matter. Instead, he once again inquired about the girl. "Can we _say_ 'tragic life'?" Marishka said. Aleera elaborated. "Poor girl. She has in no way met her mother, her father got eradicated by a werewolf three weeks ago, she was trained in combat at an early age out of necessity, and never had many friends because of having to travel around so much. She's sweet in spite of all of it nevertheless."

"And dangerous," Verona snorted, very uncharacteristically. "Do you not remember her telling about those battles of hers? I'll say this; I'd never want to cross her when she's livid and has a sword, and that's just from hearing stories!"

"Oh yes, she sounds sweet alright. And did you tell her about us then?"

"Ah, no. I'm not even sure she got any of our names." Aleera smiled sheepishly. Dracula just rolled his eyes, a faint smile on his face. "Typical." He said with a fond smile on his face. He listened to them talk for several hours, mostly about the girl, whose name he learned was Larissa, but also about regular girl things-especially the masquerade at the end of the next month.

At the end of the night, the four found themselves lounging on the couch like the brides had with Larissa earlier, even if it was a bit more intimate the way they lay right then. Dracula, not being in the half asleep stupor the brides were in (due to lack of sleep for two or three days, no doubt), he heard the girls' steady heart beat pick up pace as she woke. He looked over to the east windows to find that the impending dawn was eminent.

He untangled himself from the brides, who kind of groaned in protest, to draw the drapes across the balcony entrance, once again leaving the fire to be the solitary source of light. Dracula swept quickly out of the room with a last lingering glance at the sleeping women sprawled on the couch, when the sound of soft foot steps echoed down the circular stairwell.

Larissa stepped softly into the room. She was clad in aerodynamically fit (so, tight) leather pants that tucked into her knee high boots, a dark blue blouse, which was mostly covered by the black overcoat that hung down to her knees, all of which she had found in the wardrobe in the room she was being let use.

As she walked over to the couch, the only noise she made was that of rustling cloth. Looking over the back of the couch, she found three sleeping women, and rolled her eyes. They showed no signs of waking, even though they should have. Well that what they get for staying up most of the night! Larissa gave a small smirk and strode over to the door. Testing it, she found it open; for some reason she half expected it to be locked!

With one sole cautious glance over her shoulder, she slipped out into a large, cold stone corridor. She didn't have any time yesterday to explore the place she suspected she would be for a while, so she figured she'd do it early in the morning-more time to investigate before anybody would come searching for her.

She walked down the passage, occasionally peering into a room on either side of the hall, each as unfurnished and lifeless as the last. She once again stepped out of a blue-gray room covered in spider webs that looked like it could have been a guest bedroom. As she was about to take a stride back to the brides chambers, she heard the crackle of a fire. Twirling around, she quickly stared down at every door down the hall 'til she came to the very last, of which seemed to have a golden glow outlining it.

Experience taught her constant vigilance, and she did not fail to remember it as she eased open the thick, heavy wooden door to which the glow was coming. This room had neither furnishings nor cobwebs, as if it was used time and time again, but not often enough to need a chair or so. Another difference was that this room, while it had the balcony, it did not have huge protective drapes over it. When she saw the room first, her eye was almost immediately drawn to the big balcony which looked as if it overlooked another, larger room in the castle they were in; a ball room perhaps.

Curiosity almost always makes people do things they usually wouldn't. In this case, Larissa wouldn't usually care what room an indoor balcony was overlooking. However, the fact that someone cared what was in the room next door enough to just stand and look at it, made her wonder, and want to see what could be so possibly captivating. Looking from corner to corner of the room before her, searching for any occupant it might hold, as it was obvious it had been used at least earlier in the night. Seeing no one, she stalked silently to the stone balcony. What she saw made her go rigid.

The room itself was huge, possibly the size of one of the wings in the castle, but that's not what froze her. Honestly; she had seen quite a lot in her fourteen years of life, but she hadn't ever seen anything like what she saw in abundance in the hall before her.

Hanging from every over-hang possible even from the walls, some of them were large, slimy looking green-gray sacks. 'Goes with the décor, of course.' Larissa thought sardonically. Although, most of the grayness might have come from the dust and spider webs layered everywhere; the only place without them it seemed, were the floors. Many of the green-gray sacks looked as if they had some sort of wire stuck into them.

Suddenly, an especially strong feeling of unease settled deep within the pit of Larissa's stomach. Slowly, she backed off the balcony and back in the room before turning and rushing out into the corridor beyond. As soon as she stepped over the thresh hold, the sensation seemed to completely disappear altogether. Larissa turned around, looking at the door and got that kind of look that said, 'Oh…kay, whatever,' and went down the hall to the sublime staircase.

Seven hours later, she returned to the brides chambers after exploring eleven levels, three towers, and every part of the dungeons that weren't locked up. Every thought of the indoor balcony had completely fled her mind and were replaced with sheer awe of the magnitude of the place.

When Larissa slipped into the room, she was surprised when she found one of the brides sitting relaxed on the floor in front of the fire; the other two were nowhere to be seen. She was at a loss of what to do, so settled for standing there numbly, just _wondering_ what to do. Before she could decide, "Come here and sit Larissa." So she did.

Larissa shifted somewhat as the woman shook her long black hair out of her face. "I think that we were a bit pressing yesterday child. We know quite a bit about you from what you told us-" Larissa snorted. 'A bit. Yeah right; how 'bout everything?' "And I believe you don't even know our names. So maybe if you had any questions…?" She trailed away uncertainly.

Larissa jumped at the opportunity to ask questions. Her father didn't much like it when she did. "What's your name?"

The Italian smiled. "Verona."

"Simple enough. So, what do you usually do here? There's not much to do; I mean, I found the armory, but there isn't anyone to spar with."

"My sister's and I have found that there is a lot more to do during the night, so we usually sleep during the day."

"Oh, so that was why you were up all night then."

"Yeah. We aren't very active though, other than the occasional jaunt outside of the castle now and then."

Larissa thought about that for a minute before she caught something. "Wait, you three are sisters?" They looked nothing alike, as different as…as…well, very different. How was that possible?

"In every sense of the word but blood." Oh, that explains it then. Never mind.

"Are you three the only one's in the castle?"

Verona gave a short laugh. "Hardly. There are the dwergi, Igor, the occasional werewolf to do my lords bidding, and of course, my master himself. His name is Dracula."

The name had no meaning to Larissa, but she said it as if this Dracula was some sort of big important person, so she just nodded her head and smiled. Verona gave her a sideways glance. "You're not afraid?"

"Why should I be?"

"You're kidding me. Someone who _doesn't_ know who Count Dracula is? Someone pinch me. Ouch, Aleera, It's a figure of speech!" Marishka came down the staircase rubbing her arm, Aleera gliding behind her. "You asked, didn't you?" she said with a mischievous smile.

"No my dear. I don't believe she's kidding at all." All four girls swung around to see Dracula sitting on the couch, his legs stretched across it. Larissa couldn't believe it as she laid eyes on a pale man dressed in black, hair blacker than that which he wore, and eyes so blue, they didn't look it. "Now I remember you."


	3. The Village

Disclaimer_: what makes you think i'd own people and ideas that are over a hundred years old? Really? well, i dont, so no law suits please_

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**Angel of Beauty:**_ Thanks, I will_

**Princess Airiana:**_****Sorry Princess. Larissa's dad really did die. That part of the story is focused on her finding her mom, but if you want to guess who that is, i could probably give you a heads up if you guessed right._

**Fortune Zyne:**_ I'm glad to know you think so : )_

**Catlover15489:**_ Thanks! sorry for making you wait so long, I'll try not to do that again._

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**Chapter 3**

"You do?" Dracula didn't sound too surprised, but the emotion still inflicted his voice. "From somewhere. When I was younger, because you were taller than you are now." He just raised an eyebrow and plucked at a silver chain around his neck.

"Did you enjoy your little tour of the castle, Larissa?" he asked slyly. Now why the heck would he say that that way? Then she remembered; the unease, the feeling of being watched. "Yes, I did as a matter of fact. Thank you."

They sat there for several minutes. "So," Marishka said softly. "Did you find the library Larissa?" Larissa's eyes went wide. "You have a LIBRARY!"

"I'll take that as a no, love, how about that?" Aleera said to her, amused.

'Love?' Larissa questioned to herself. But she just shrugged it off. 'They can call me what they want. They did save me after all.'

"We can take you there tomorrow love, but now it's time for bed." Right as Aleera finished talking, the clock above the mantelpiece of the fireplace struck nine. Larissa didn't argue; she saw the flash of bright blue directed at the brides, and she wasn't stupid. He had a bone to pick with them.

The next day, well, week, Larissa spent the majority of her time in the library, whether it was reading or talking to Dracula and/or the brides. She ate, but only because one of the women brought the food to her. Her father always tried to keep her away from libraries, big or small. Not because he didn't want her to read, but because once she was in it, it was difficult to get her out! Her father once said that her love of books reminded him of her mother, and then had picked her up and swept away from the stand selling rare, leather bound tomes.

So one night when the brides (now she know Verona _and_ Marishka's names) had somehow managed to get her out of the library and back to their chambers, she collapsed on the couch.

Sighing, she said, "You know, after nine days practically living there, one gets sick of books." (a/n: this is sooo true. I once got physically ill because I read too much ☺) Verona, Marishka, and the red head giggled at her.

"What were you expecting? Too much of anything is a bad thing." Aleera said. "In most cases." Verona amended.

All four women jumped when Dracula didn't bother with his dramatic, 'scare-the-crap-out-of-Larissa-because-his-brides-were-used-to-it-already' entrance and rather just threw the doors open in his haste. He looked somewhat, uh; elated perhaps is not the best word.

"My brides! Complete overcast skies for the next three days!" they kind of just looked between each other, no really knowing where this was going. "Tomorrow I want you to go down to the village and try to catch Anna Valerious off guard. She doesn't arm herself during the day-and why should she? We'll make this to our advantage!" Dracula said extremely quickly as he saw their glances and strode quickly out of the room.

"Did you catch _any_ of that?" Aleera asked.

"Only Ana Valerious and village." Marishka answered.

"Nope, nothing. I got our advantage out of that." Verona added.

Larissa sighed, a frown deep on her face. "My dad used to do that too. He said go to the village tomorrow and get rid of this Anna person." The brides heard this, but were presently more concerned with what was going through Larissa's head that was making her make such an expression. "Love, what's wrong?" Aleera inquired, putting an arm around Larissa's shoulders. Larissa didn't even have to move her gaze from the fire to know it was the bride whose name still eluded her that asked the question; she was the only one who called her love. She absent mindedly waved the question off, and dug further into her memories.

(a/n: as a question, do any of you know what made Larissa go into though like that?)

A few minutes later, Larissa shrugged out of her memories, not finding what she was looking for. "So, how long does it take to get to the village?"

"About two hours by foot, just under an hour by horse and about three minutes by flight." Verona said offhandedly.

"Flight?"

"Joking dear, joking." Verona quickly said, realizing her mistake.

"Oh, ok, so when do you think you'll be going tomorrow?"

"Probably right after we wake. Why Larissa?"

"No reason Marishka, I was just wondering is all. So why did Dracula call you three his brides?" She had a suspicion, but only that. All three seemed to not know what to say.

"Ah, well…" Aleera said after a while, but didn't get much more out.

"Oh, I see. Never mind then. I get it." They seemed to melt in relief when she gave them a way out. And Larissa didn't blame them either; that was a somewhat awkward question.

A while later, Larissa was lying half asleep in Verona's arms on the couch listening to the three talk about an upcoming ball. She had shifted from Aleera's shoulder to Verona's due to constant movement while she spoke. Marishka wasn't even an option; she seemed most excited for the ball, and she and Aleera ended up dancing and laughing between the couch and fireplace. Verona looked on, amused at their actions and Larissa fell asleep for the first time on the couch, listening to laughter and soft voices.

Larissa woke, only to find herself under the large black comforter on her bed, with sunlight streaming through the window.

From the position of the sun, she could tell it was about mid-morning, and scrambled out of bed. If she was going to reach the village before the brides, she had to leave early. Knowing from experience that all Romanian towns/villages/cities hated strangers, she threw on her traveling clothes that had been lying in a pile next to the wardrobe. Travelers were tolerated slightly more because everyone know they would be gone within the next two or so days. Alright, now she just had to find the exit in this place.

Throwing her cloak onto her shoulders, she swept out of the chambers. She barely had to wonder and poke around for more than twenty minutes before she found someone. Or rather, they found her.

"What are you doing her lass?" Larissa spun on heel to find a hunched over, scarred man.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know I was intruding. I was just looking for the way out…"

"Igor, come, I'll show you the way out." So this was Igor. Interesting. Either way, she was leaving, so she'd have to deal with her identity to him later. Igor took her down two levels and across a hall before reaching gigantic double doors.

"There is a side door there. Use it." Igor grunted before limping off, wires circling one arm. Larissa watched his retreating back for a moment, then passed through the regular sized wooden door.

The door she realized, had lead her to the stables. Convenient if you think about it; now she didn't have to search for them. She looked through each empty stall, and became slightly discouraged. However, it was the same way with the many rooms in the castle. There was a midnight black mare in the very last stall. Larissa smiled, before strapping the saddle on the horses back and leading her out of the stable.

At a full gallop, the ride actually took little more than half an hour, so as she reached the village, she hopped off the mare and led her by the reigns into the village to let her rest a bit.

She felt eyes on her as she stepped through the gates surrounding the village, particularly from the white haired man with a measuring stick. He had this gleam in his eye that just couldn't be healthy.

Ignoring them and the extremely noticeable sharp, pointy objects most of the adults held, Larissa dug a few pieces of gold out of her pocket and bought a loaf of bread form the local backer, making it _look_ like she was the traveler she appeared to be. As she sat in the shadows of a strategetically placed building, Larissa arranged herself and the mare so that it looked as though she was minding her own business while in actuality, she was watching all in sight.

A couple hours later, she found herself slumped against the building, pretending and near succeeding at being asleep. She was jolted out of her doze when two people came into the village horseback. A monk and a…hunter by the looks of it. She could see the crossbow across his back even from clear across the square.

Larissa spun about when she felt a tap on her shoulder, to come face to face with a woman. "Hello stranger. Are you not going to follow the commotion?"

"I've never really been the kind to follow the crowd. They're boring and overall too pushy." Larissa responded.

The woman gave a hint of a smile, her dark brown curls falling into her face. Before she could answer, one of the villagers hissed, "Anna! Get over there!"

"You're Anna? Where's your sword? You're going to need it really soon."

"Only at night lass." Anna responded, her brown eyes flashed in amusement before she was off. "Your funeral." Larissa said, but she wasn't sure Anna had heard her. A few minutes later, she scarcely heard the mumbling of the visitors as the crowd moved forward slightly. She then heard Anna say, "I don't need you help." And the hunter return with, "Really." There was shing of metal on metal which was soon followed by a screech.

In the sky sweeping this way and that, were-"Vampires!" yes, those. The crowd scattered, and zipping of arrows through the air, courtesy of the hunter, were momentarily covered as Anna yelled, "Everybody inside!"

Larissa watched as the village scrambled-not trying to get into somewhere safe, but kind of running around like headless chickens-while the whitish gray, human sized bats flew around. It was almost comical; the…vampires, was it? weren't even doing anything-besides of course, dodging arrows from that stupid hunter. Didn't he see that when he hit them, they just took them out and healed themselves?

Okay, she knew that she was missing some of the action, but it was a lot more fun to watch what was happening backstage. Suddenly, she caught sight of the hunter. He was shooting at the two vampires in sight while they were chasing Anna. Larissa watched fascinated by how the arrows seemed to miss both vampires and Anna and embedded into wood. When it missed Anna as she dived over a stack of barrels, one of the vampires grabbed a nearby man and bit his neck. Larissa touched her neck, almost feeling the pinpricks on the man's neck.

Next thing anyone knew, the clouds parted slightly and sun flooded though the opening. Ant the presence of the sunlight on the village, she vampires disappeared. Everybody, once they seemed to have regained their wits about them, stayed inside with the cover of buildings provided.

Anna, the hunter, the monk, and Larissa were at that moment, the only people not in somewhere safe. The monk was already standing by the well in the center of the square when there was an echo from within, causing him to jump. The hunter started to slowly step towards it; Anna did as well, picking up a curved knife from the ground. Larissa herself was unconsciously moving forward, searching for a spare weapon, but jerked back before anyone saw her. The two reached and jumped to the entrance of the well at the same time finding nothing. The monk noticed thee clouds shifting, starting to cover the sun once again. "V-Van Helsing…" he stuttered.

The two vampires dove out of the well, one catching Anna and throwing her to the other, who only just caught her before she hit the ground. The hunter- Van Helsing shot one arrow at the ankle of the vampire, and actually hit it, causing the creature to drop Anna, who then slid and hung off the side of a stone building. Wait…one…two…where'd the third on go? It was almost obvious they were after something if this was the way they were working.

Larissa suddenly had a though and started scrutinizing the closest, almost motionless vampire hovering in the air. Now that she looked, she could see the characteristics of a female; kind of like a female body with the skin so stretched, you could see every single bone across the torso, and long black hair.

A crash brought Larissa's attention to a large hole in the upper part of one of the buildings across the way. Van Helsing stood very close to said building, looking for any signs of movement within. Silence may be a virtue, but at this point in time, it was excruciatingly painful. Another crash, another gaping hole, and Van Helsing was sent flying along with losing his weapon.

The vampire that had hit him with such force glided in a circle, pulling arrows out of her body as she landed on a railing, changing into the form of Marishka. She pulled the last arrow out, looked at it unconcernedly as though labeling it of no importance, before throwing it to the side. Van Helsing was looking at her, breathing heavily. The weapon was halfway between the two-exactly in front of Larissa. The monk yelled "Holy water!" and threw a silver bottle to him. Verona (since she had the black hair, that's who Larissa assumed it was) grabbed it in mid-air before Van Helsing could catch it and tossed it into the well.

"Stop you're teasing Marishka, and finish him!" Verona yelled before too, disappearing. Yep, that was definitely Verona. Marishka put her hands on her knees and said, "Too bad, so sad." She sounded sort of sad, but was still more amused than anything.

The monk then yelled, "The church!" causing Larissa to roll her eyes in a way that said, 'who the heck _wouldn't_ think of that…and where did Anna go?' As Van Helsing and Marishka looked towards the church and back to each other almost simultaneously, Marishka smiled-well, a bit evilly and her eyes glowed gold, fangs extended.

They stood there a moment 'til Van Helsing tried to sprint towards his crossbow; a bit unsuccessfully as Marishka jumped, transformed halfway to the ground, and swooped down into him, sending him crashing to the ground fifteen feet away. While the two were both preoccupied, Larissa darted forward out of her hiding place and scooped up the weapon gingerly. Before she could shrink into the shadows however, Marishka caught sight of her. She shifted quickly while Van Helsing struggled to stay out of momentary unconsciousness. "Larissa?"

"No, Bigfoot." Larissa smirked.

"Who?" Marishka answered her.

"No one. You've got one heck of an evil laugh, you know. Surprising how I live with you for nearly two weeks and am just no learning you're a vampire." Larissa let the crossbow fall lax in her grip. "Actually, I'm just learning what a vampire _is_, so…"

"We tried _not _to let you know. Nice to new that we succeeded. Oh, thanks by the way. I try." Marishka said. As they were talking, neither of them saw Van Helsing circle them; when he reached Larissa, he wrestled the crossbow out of her hands, twisted her arm behind her back and grabbed hold of his shot gun. Marishka stepped forward in concern and anger.

"Stay back!" stupid hunter. If he put all his attention on convincing a vampire into a standstill, all the easier to hurt him. Van Helsing started moving towards the holy water outside the church, letting Larissa stumbled her way before him, not falling only because he had hold of her. Marishka watched every move he mad besides his feet, only realizing the change of background scenery when Van Helsing dipped his gun's tip in the water. Hurriedly, in a panic, Marishka changed and flew to just outside the village and over some tree's we he sot. Unfortunately, the bullet struck her upper leg and Marishka dropped like a stone into the trees. Moments later, screeching was heard and the remaining two vampires burst through a roof top and back towards the castle, as if in pain.

Larissa was worried about Marishka, and was unused to the feeling. She swiftly dug her free elbow into the hunter's side, causing him to release her with a grunt of pain and slightly double over. Larissa sprinted towards the black mare, which was in the place she left her, jumped onto her back, and sent the horse into a gallop to where she was Marishka drop.

She could hear the village crowd outside again, and Anna's voice ringing out, but all that was in her was to reach Marishka . In a sense of déjà vu, as the tree branches slashed at her arms and face, she frantically searched the outskirts of the woods.

As she was about to delve deeper into the forest, she caught sight of blonde and white. Not even waiting for the mare to halt, she leaped off and knelt next to Marishka who was breathing heavily, yet shallowly, her lips turning blue; the cause, holy water starting to kick in. "It's okay, I'm going to get you to the castle, you're going to be okay." Larissa said to reassure herself as much as Marishka. She slung one of Marishka's arms around her neck, and together they were able to get up onto the gorse, but what little strength Marishka had left was used up in that one simple action. She gave a small smile to Larissa, unable to say anything before breathing out once and going limp. Gone. Realizing what happened, Larissa felt tears stream slowly down her face.


	4. Shock

Catlover15489: Thanks! I did try you know )

Fortune Zyne: I tried to do that too!

Princess Airiana: Nope, Van Helsing isnt her dad either. Sorry. But Anna really isnt going to be the bad guy. it'll seem that way, but just wait til you read the last line in this chapter.

**Chapter 4**

Several hours seemed to pass while in reality it was only minutes. Larissa took hold of herself and grabbed the reigns, holding Marishka's body on the horse. As she reached the edge of the forest and the gate to the village, she realized that in order to get to the castle, she had to go through the town, as there was a twenty foot deep, ten foot wide river on one side, and a glade on the other.

Readying herself to go through as quick as she could, Larissa failed to detect the tears still trailing down her face, and really, all she could think was how stupidly brilliant whoever it was who located the town was. Larissa pulled the cloak around the two of them, trying to make them a bit less recognizable before hurriedly setting the mare in a trot.

Passing through, Larissa saw nobody take any particular interest in them until she was almost out. Someone also on a horse was following. Larissa cursed under her breath and nudged the mare a little faster. Soon she reached the exit and set the horse into a gallop, but the follower was faster.

She was cut off and the follower pulled off their hood of their cloak. Anna. "How did you know?" Larissa decided to play dumb. It _does_ work sometimes. "Know what? I know a lot of things." Anna scowled. She pushed her horse so she could reach Larissa and tugged her cloak down off her face. "How did you know the brides were going to attack!" Larissa moved to pull the cloak back up, but ended up doing the opposite; revealing Marishka's form.

Anna looked shocked. She took in the scene as a whole; Larissa in tears with Marishka's body, heading towards Castle Frankenstein. "What…" Larissa just kicked her horse, pushing Anna out of the way, and Anna didn't even follow, too baffled to do so actually.

When Larissa reached the stables, she fixed the mare up with some oats and wiped her down before lifting Marishka, wrapped in her cloak, bridal style. Larissa was at first sort of shocked that she was so light, but concentrated on climbing up the multitude of staircases that would lead her to the bride's chambers.

Somewhere off the hall Larissa was walking, there came screams of sorts. All Larissa knew was that they sounded fearful. Quickly locating the source, Larissa watched as Dracula sent everyone away, but before he or the brides got anywhere, Larissa spoke…smugly too. "Am I interrupting anything?" the way the brides sprung away from the count usually would have sent her into a fit of laughter, but now Larissa could only give a small, humorless smile.

They didn't seem particularly surprised at Larissa being there, but were quite surprised when they saw Marishka lying limp inn her arms. Dracula quickly lifted Marishka's body out of Larissa's arms and moved her over to one of the wooden tables, blearing it off with a sweep of her arm before laying her on it. "The hunter hit her in the leg, but the bullet was covered in Holy water."

"For that we must be thankful. At least she didn't turn to ash, as would normally have happened. The hunter, did he have anyone from Rome with him?" Dracula said.

"What do you mean, _thankful_!"

"Well at least she isn't ash Larissa. There was a monk, master." (a/n: can't you just imagine Carl saying, "Actually, I'm just a friar." every time I put that? He will correct them…eventually) Dracula just nodded, a look of sorrow on his face as Larissa exclaimed, "What? You mean that if one of you gets some Holy water thrown on you, BAM, you're a pile of ash? Try harsh." None of them answered, like they didn't know what to say. Larissa then decided to go on a different track. "So what experiment was a failure?" the vampires just looked at her. "What? Your voices echo really well, okay?" the brides continued to give her a funny look, but Dracula just gave her a little laugh. "Smart girl, very smart." Larissa just sat on the edge of a nearby table top and looked at him. "Blink woman, blink. Now, I'd have to start with a man named Victor Frankenstein…"

(a/n: for sake of not boring you, I won't go into the explanation. I'm assuming all of you (or most of you) have seen the move, so already know about the 'bringing to life' stuff, experiments and such)

Approximately two hours later Larissa was just staring at the Count in shock, (not surprise), awe, and as though she had the wheels turning hi her head. Dracula then concluded, "…and as of yet have been unable to find a sufficient human it would work with."

"So why not use more than one human? Or-you said it depends on how strong the person is, right? Why not use a werewolf? Plenty of those."

"And those I have on hand. Yes. Why did I not think of it before?" Dracula speculated.

"Why? Because you didn't have the extraordinary Larissa spelling it out for you." Larissa answered smirking, then glaring in annoyance as she finally gave in to the brides, and they started playing with her hair.

"Yes, yes." he said distractedly, as though she had not just practically insulted his intelligence. "Tonight there should be a storm." Dracula's back straitened as he left thoughts, and snapped his fingers. Moments later a werewolf came leaping through an opening high up on the wall, right up against the ceiling. As the wolf man crashed to the ground, Larissa immediately reached to her side where she usually kept her sword. If any of them in the room noticed the instant reflex, none showed it, although she thought Verona's grip on her shoulder got a bit tighter.

"Go to Valerious manor. Find out who our new visitor is." Dracula commanded. The wolf looked almost questioning, and the Count sounded as if he could read is mind next time he spoke. "If our visitor was fighting to keep Anna say so, it is apparent that he was sent to keep her alive. She would have taken him to her manor; she is altogether too predictable. Now go." the werewolf growled harshly, but seemed unable to disobey Dracula. "He'll be back soon. Come." Dracula gestured for the three women to follow him, and as he passed, picked up Marishka's body off of the table.

After a while, Larissa realized that they were heading for the brides chambers and walked a little closer to the wall. But as they reached the corner to turn down the hall to the entrance, Larissa started to turn and was surprised when Dracula and Verona kept walking strait. Aleera reached over and turned Larissa in the right direction, winking at her as she passed her.

The room they walked into turned out to be the room with the indoor balcony and over again, that feeling of unease returned to Larissa, although she barely felt it this time. Then she noticed how Verona went and stood at the balcony, Aleera started to but instead turned and watched Larissa, who in turn was watching Dracula move and set Marishka on a bed in the far corner. It was quite a large bed, but Larissa did see how it was missed her first time there, considering the size of the room.

"This is the room we used to sit in while waiting to see if the experiments worked. That door over there leads to the lab. But I wouldn't go in there; it's full to the brim with dwergi. Believe me, you don't want to know." Aleera added when she saw Larissa open her mouth to ask what a dwergi was. Larissa just closed her mouth and gave the slightest of smiles.

After a while, Dracula went and held Verona in a hug as he kissed her temple. Then her turned into the room off the balcony, gave Aleera the same treatment and spared Larissa a rare smile before gliding into the room adjacent to the one in which they were residing. "So what's happening now?" Larissa asked as lightly as she could. Aleera took Larissa and led her over to the balcony where Verona was sitting on the railing. 'Lucky. If she falls off, no chance of death, is there?' Larissa though with slight envy.

"What happens now is we wait. It may take a while, but we wait." Aleera said.

"Wait? Wait for what?" Larissa asked skeptically.

"Life. Is your hair getting darker, Larissa?" Verona spoke, turning from the cast room to study her hair. Larissa gazed thoughtfully at Verona before her question registered. "Is it? Huh, that time already." Larissa seemed to be surprised that it was 'that time', although neither of the brides knew what she was talking about.

"What do you mean?" Verona asked.

"Wha-? Oh. During the summer my hair is usually a bright auburn. I think the brightest it's been before is like, a couple shades darker than yours," she gestured to Aleera, _still_ not knowing her name. "But during the winter it's a really dark red-brown color. And right now, I guess it has just started to change." Verona listened to the explanation-she was the one who asked-but then stood and pushed Larissa lightly back into the room, Aleera only following after she saw them by the fire.

Larissa collapsed on the conveniently placed, squishy run in front of the fir, laying on her stomach and gazing into the flames. At no sign of anyone speaking, Larissa delved into thought, a crease appearing upon her brow. The brides missed the look as they settled themselves on either side of her and once again settled with playing with her hair. If Larissa noticed, she showed no sign.

They lounged there in silence for only god knows how long, before a piercing screech came from the neighboring room. Aleera jumped up and went to see what was wrong. Verona shook her head sharply. "Something really good happened, of something _really_ bad happened. I'll be right back. If it's bad, the master won't be calmed easily."

"Oh, he needs anger management then, hmm? Great." Larissa muttered when Verona left. A flash of blue shot into the room, catching her attention. Quickly returning to her feet, she went and glanced out beyond the balcony to find that the sacks hanging from everywhere where pulsing and coursing with bright blue electricity. Larissa leaned against the rolling trying to get a better look at one of the nearer ones. She almost toppled over the edge when she heard the sound of a surprised yell from somewhere below. The sound set Larissa into a search for the source, trying to see through the dimness surrounding her. A moment later, there was another cry of shock, and a white…bat with arms was the best Larissa could come up with to describe it. It flew around and hundreds more burst out of the sacks. As they formed a cloud of white, Larissa stared, not moving and the brides almost ran out to the balcony, closely followed by Dracula, who put his arms about their waists.

Larissa turned to stare at them as she heard two identical gasps, to see Verona's expression of joy (and red hair). "They need to feed. Teach them how…teach them!" Dracula said, and helped them jump off over the railing. Larissa blinked before saying, "Oh yeah Dracula, throwing your brides over the edge of a building. Oscar nominee right there." Dracula shot her a look but didn't comment.

They watched as the brides transformed whilst falling, weaved through the cloud of bats, which then started to follow them. Larissa covered her ears as Dracula decided to be a human fog horn (of at least was as loud as one) when he yelled to the vanishing cloud of vampires, "AND BEG THE DEVIL, that this time they stay alive!"

"Oww…" Larissa held her head as a quickly approaching migraine started up. "I'm _so_ going to hit you…when I can think strait." Dracula just looked at her, no expression, no movement….until they head gun fire start up. Two heads jerked back to the overlooked hall to find the hunter-Van Helsing shooting the few lingering bats, causing them to explode in green goo. Dracula growled, and Larissa found herself hard pressed not to back away from him. 'Yep. He _really_ needs anger management.' Larissa thought as Dracula took it upon himself to leap over the railing. 'Van Helsing was going to get-' Larissa's attention was caught by another form, ducking through a side door near, and which probably let to, the lab.

Not waiting to watch the confrontation between the two below, Larissa dashed back into the room and through the door to the lab, only to cover her eyes and grind to a halt as she came face to face with a blindingly bright blue light. Getting used to the light quickly, she went to the side only to realize it was only that bright right there, and she had to get used to darker light again. Larissa cursed in annoyance and moved on the moment she could. She searched, but only saw Igor and what she could only assume what they were the dwergi work at keeping the machine they were working with functioning. She stood in a corner, looking for any sign of a new figure in the room for nearly ten minutes, but was secretly studying the machinery around her. Honestly, she wouldn't have known anyone was there is she hadn't heard one of the dwergi say "Anna Valerious…!" below her.

Larissa cautiously stepped to the rail guard and looked down to the center of the room when a rope hung from the ceiling. Surprisingly, she found Anna hanging form the rope with three of four dwergi hanging below her, trying to fend them off while climbing up. Larissa almost laughed when Anna seemed to just get fed up with them, took out her sword and cut the rope, letting everything fall from right below her knees. Anna apparently had great upper body strength, because she shot up the rope.

"Igor! What's the fastest way to the roof!" Larissa called; she made sure he couldn't see her though.

"Ladder, miss." Igor went back to spinning a lever. Larissa looked around quickly, spotted the ladder and shot up it. Minutes later, she hoisted herself out of the tower. "Tsk, tsk. Trying to free the werewolf? What _would_ the maser say?" Larissa said in a condescending voice, acting as she knew any one of the brides would have if they'd found Anna alongside he werewolf trying to fee him. Anna jumped, fortunately right out of the suffocatingly tight grip of the werewolf's, now in human form.

Dropping the act when she saw how emotional Anna was, she stepped over and placed a hand on her arm. As she did this, Anna seemed to snap out of her fright and her eyes focused on Larissa again. "You again? Did you just call Dracula ma-never mind. Please, help me save my brother!"

"Your brother?" Larissa looked over at the man, whose skim was turning dark, signaling an approaching change. "Anna, go!" Larissa pushed Anna away and back towards the edge of the tower where there was a flight of stairs. So occupied with keeping track of where the werewolf was, Larissa pushed Anna right back into Van Helsing who had just come up the stairs.

"Oh good. Take Anna and run!" Larissa said almost wildly. She couldn't let someone else die right in front of her because of a werewolf. "You again!" Van Helsing snarled.

"Why is everybody asking me that today? Yes, me again, now go! Larissa answered more forcefully; the werewolf and nearly shredded his bindings to the chair. Taking in what she was saying, Van Helsing took out a grappling gun and shot it off the tower, across the ricer below, and into the forest. He obviously could tell that is his a tree, because he pulled the rope tight and stuck the gun part into a secure place between two thick pieces of metal, where it would hold two people's weight. Van Helsing took one more look at Larissa before grabbing Anna around the waist and sailing off on some sort of pulley. Just in time too, because the moment they sailed off, the werewolf pounced on the place they'd been standing. He kind of looked after them, then a Larissa as if she was new prey. "Well?" she asked it, holding off its impending pounce. "Aren't you going to go after them?" 'Oh, god, now I'm bipolar. What next?" She really shouldn't have asked because as soon as the werewolf jumped onto the rope, it snapped, sending it down towards the river, and she _heard_ the brides approach. Their distraught wails were kind of hard to miss. And they were coming right towards her.

Dracula suddenly appeared right next to her, looking sort of flustered. "Help me with them!" she didn't really figure out why he was asking this of her. Then it hit her. Most men were helpless with distressed women. Great.

Hours after sundown the next day, you could find Larissa deep in though (Yet again) while the brides sat in stony silence. Verona, tired of this, noticed how the expression of thought was present and asked, "Larissa, what are you thinking about?"

Absentmindedly, Larissa answered, "I'm trying to remember if my father said if my mother's name was Anna, or Aleera."


	5. Interlude and Chase

Ok, for you who guessed who Larissa's mom is, I'm not going to tell you who she is, and I'm not saying that any of you who guessed are wrong, but Chapter 4 gives you a _very_ clear indication of who it is; you've just got to read between the lines a bit.

**Chapter 5**

"What? What did I say?" Larissa bent over Aleera, checking if she was okay as she had slumped in her seat and was staring wide-eyed at Larissa. Verona too was staring at her, but was more in awe and disbelief than anything.

"You mean you could be Aleera's daughter…or Anna's."

"I guess so. Why?"

"Because you would be looking at the only Aleera in Europe, that's why." Verona said slightly fiercely, her eyes turning an almost neon green.

"Really?" Larissa said happily. Verona nodded. "Then why are you so angry?" Larissa asked suspiciously, the joy still seeping through and making itself apparent.

"Because," Verona said harshly, "you other possible mother is Anna. I've been here for over three hundred years, and the only Anna I know of is Anna Valerious: our enemy. She has to kill us, or we have to kill her."

"Well, that isn't to good, is it? Anna's my mom; she kills my friends, or my friends kill my mom. Aleera's my mom; I lose potential friend or mother and friends. Problem right there, I think—oomph!" Larissa said lightly, until Aleera decided to wake up out of her stupor and throw her arms around Larissa's neck, that is.

"What's wrong with her?" Dracula said from besides Verona.

"We could just be watching reunion between possible mother and daughter."

"Really." He said in a dangerous voice.

"What's wrong, master?" Aleera asked over Larissa's shoulder, Larissa trying to pull away from the red head practically suffocating her, and failing to pull out of her death grip.

"You had a child _with someone else!_" he hissed furiously. "What do you think is wrong?" Dracula's eyes turned a sea blue in anger.

"Had I known I'd had a daughter, she would've been with us, and you would have known."

"How can you not know if you're with child?"

"Did you ever wonder why I was so sad when you met me?" Aleera answered with a question. Verona and Larissa were moving their heads back and forth as though they were watching a tennis match (not that they knew what tennis was…).

"Yes, as a matter of fact I did!" Dracula snapped. "But I'd thought that I should let you be. You were really touchy, if I remember right. So are you going to tell or did you just bring that up to bring it up?" he calmed steadily.

"About," Aleera paused, "Sixteen years ago, I _did_ have a child. Birth to a baby girl in the middle of the night. I fell asleep soon after, before I even held her or got to name her. The next morning I awoke to my father telling me that my child was born still born and in grief her father had left. For good. I didn't think he'd actually leave; he said he would, with out child. It was a year and a half later you turned me."

"And from where I'm standing, if you're really my mom that would mean dad just picked me up and left. What a bastard." Verona and Aleera looked surprised at her choice of words, but refrained from saying anything. Dracula looked about to say something when a screech of clawed stone sounded and a werewolf climbed up and over the balcony. Once again, Larissa's reflex of snatching for her sword kicked in and this time was definitely noticed.

"If you're that quick to the sword, I'm not sure we should let you near one. Paranoia isn't a good thing to have." Dracula smirked a bit, turned to the werewolf and pretended he didn't hear Larissa's scowl-shot voice say, "It's not paranoia, it's instinct!" and the brides laughing.

While the brides were laughing at Larissa's indignant look, which surprisingly reminded them of when Anna gave them that expression, Dracula was conversing with the man dressed in rags; Anna's brother.

"Verona! Aleera! Come over here." Dracula looked ecstatic. Surprised at the rare expression he was wearing, they rushed over next to them. Larissa followed and hopped up onto the railing and slung her legs over the edge. Not exactly trying to listen in, Larissa nearly fell over backwards as Verona jumped against Dracula when Aleera rushed over to the man and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. "Thank you _so_ much Velkan!" Velkan looked surprised at this and gave Aleera a strange stare. After, he spared a quick glance at Larissa before looking down again.

While the three vampires were busy being excited, Larissa spoke. "Velkan?" he looked at her and his gaze stayed this time. "Ann's brother, tight?" when he nodded, slightly confused, she went on. "Hi. I'm Larissa, you possible niece. Always nice to meet possible relatives."

"R-relative?" Velkan's voice was hoarse and full of disbelief. Larissa smiled and nodded her head. "So," she said after a pause, "why are they so excited again?"

"The Frankenstein monster. I found it alive this morning." Velkan replied.

"Ah, that explains it then. So, uncle of mine, tell me about yourself."

"Well, I-"

"Velkan! Be ready tomorrow. You're going to go on a little…hunt…with my brides. I'll tell you tomorrow." Velkan looked as if he was going to protest, but wasn't given the chance to as Dracula swept out of the room, Aleera and Verona soon following. Larissa and Velkan were then in the room in silence. "Are you tired?" Larissa asked slightly cautious.

"No. Are you?" Velkan grinned. Larissa returned the favor and responded, "Hardly. So…" They spoke for the rest of the night—which consisted of approximately five hours.

"I can't believe this!" Larissa was pacing in front of the couch Dracula was reclining on. "Of course they would have split! It's only common sense; a decoy. And I'll bet you sent Aleera and Verona right to it!"

"And I assume that Anna took the monster and the monk and will meet up with Van Helsing after setting the decoy? (A/N: brilliant predictions, right? guilty smile) Anyway, _who_ was the general of an army again?" Dracula said sharply, Larissa's pacing and rambling getting on her nerves at last. She snapped right back, "I think that is _precisely_ what is going to happen!" then said mockingly, "And if you must know, I just happen to be the youngest and first female ever commanding officer for the army of Rome, thank you very much."

"Smart aleck," Dracula muttered as Larissa got tired of walking is circles and sat next to Dracula on the couch. Sitting in silence, both with identical pensive looks on their face, they gave off a wave of ease that might have startled most had they felt it.

(Three hours later)

Larissa was lying on the floor, face down. "Why can't time bloody _FLY!_" Larissa yelled, voice muffled, attempting to hit her head against the floor, although the attempt was futile. An extremely thick and plush rug was separating her head and the stone beneath it, effectively preventing her from hurting herself.

"The same reason pigs can't fly." Dracula's response received him a glare.

(Four hours later)

"Oh, _finally!_ Dawn! They should be back soon." Larissa really couldn't understand how she had lived with only the company of her father growing up. Honestly, several weeks earlier, she could have gone days to weeks without having to utter a word, and now it infuriated her if she didn't have someone to talk to!

PoV change

Aleera and Verona could sense the approaching dawn as they flew into a hysterical dive after the coach (that supposedly held the monster) as it plunged into the chasm of rock.

"Aleera! We cannot let the creature be destroyed!" Verona yelled to Aleera, who had grasped a wheel of the coach and was spinning in circles. They were unable to stop or even slow the coach that was dropping like a stone, causing them much dismay, as for once, they weren't strong enough for something.

"Aleera started to look slightly green, despite her complexion. Before leaving the coach, Aleera yelled over the wind,

"Save him! Save the monster!" she let go and soared into the air, going to search out the second carriage.

Verona moved over and yanked the door open, then reeling in shock that it was empty. Noticing the ground getting ever closer, Verona quickly swept over the interior of the coach. And find something she did—just not as good a thing as she would have hoped. "Stakes!" she screeched before flying as fast as she could away from the coach. Wisely realizing she was unable to reach the top of the chasm before the coach hit bottom, Verona streaked to a ledge in the rock wall. As soon as she reached it and flattened up against the rock, the coach hit and exploded, the stakes swishing through the air.

A couple of stakes embedded themselves in something near Verona. Verona's eyes were wide as she fearfully looked down to see where they did so. Observing where the stakes were embedded, Verona could do nothing but collapse to the ledge. And she didn't get back up.

**I've been told that it helps if you ask for reviews, and i see that a lot of people have at least come to this story. so if you could please take a few seconds and tell me what you think of the story, i'd appreciate it!**


	6. Wait

**Disclaimer: No owning, so no sueing please. thank you **

**Thanks those that reviewed! I appreciate it! sorry i'm confusing some of you, i'm going to try and change that, so if you could please just tell me whats confusing you, i'll do what i can. **

**you wont find out who Larissa's mom is until probably around the end, or maybe in a sequal, if you want one. if not, i can tell you at the end. sorry. >****snickers > ****anyways, enjoy!**

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**Chapter 6**

"Oh, this is killing me. Isn't it killing you?" Larissa was nearly rambling at this point. Dracula only felt it right to respond.

"Actually no, it's not. I'm already dead."

"Ha ha, I forgot how to laugh." Larissa rolled her eyes.

Dracula sat there a moment before standing for the first time that night and snatched at Larissa's wrist. Pulling her close to him, they each experienced intense chill and brief darkness. When they could see their surroundings once again, Dracula let go of the shocked teen, who stumbled slightly, as she looked around the half decorated golden ball room.

"Welcome to my summer palace, Larissa. The Ol' Hollows Eve Ball is here tomorrow night you know."

"I completely forgot! You know, you vampires will never cease to amaze me. That was like shadow travel or something. Strange; so why are we here?" Larissa asked.

Dracula just turned and swept through the halls. Larissa stared for a moment before quickly going after him. He walked quickly, and Larissa was having a hared time trying not to run to keep up with him. After a while Dracula stopped in front of a door and turned to her. "These are you rooms. You shall find everything you need inside. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a ball to finish arranging." Dracula offered her a small smile and a bow before lifting his are and pushing at his cloak so it didn't twist around his body at his sharp turn. Larissa raised an eyebrow, but entered 'he rooms' an instant later. She smirked at the dark colors that greeted her; hardly a sliver of black in sight, but many colors that could be mistaken as such. Having no idea what to do, Larissa flopped on the bed decked in red and stared at the painted ceiling. Soon, Larissa felt colors about her shift, slipping off into dreamland; Larissa couldn't help but gasp. She was staring at her father. As if unable to control her actions, Larissa spoke.

"_What? What do you mean?"_ she hated that. She sounded panicky and desperate.

"_I mean exactly what I said." Her father said, his reddish brown hair falling over his eyes. "As soon as you give birth to our child, I'm taking them and leaving. That monster that started showing up, that Dracula creature!"_

Larissa now assumed she was watching this from her mothers' point of view, and all the clues to who her mother could be thus far could point to either Aleera _or_ Anna. _"I will_ not _let you endanger out child like this A-­"_

A screech made Larissa shoot up in bed, and curse. That was _so CLOSE!_

Aleera landed on the balcony just in time to hear Larissa finish up a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. "Now really, young _lady_," she stressed the last word purposefully, "we really must work on your communication skills." Larissa just scowled in response but bounced off the bed, mussing up the coverlet slightly in the process, when she spotted the unconscious figure on the floor at the feet of Aleera.

Scowl still in place, she brushed the strangers' hair off their face, the blood trickling from a head injury smeared across her face as she did so. Seeing that the person before her was Anna was no surprise. However, the extent of the gash along her hair line made Larissa sit back on the heels of her feet.

"What happened-here, help me get her on the bed." Larissa spoke to Aleera. As they moved Anna to the bed, Aleera said, "She hit her head on a rock when she fell."

"Why did she fall?"

"I hit her." Aleera sounded so nonchalant, Larissa had to suppress a laugh.

Larissa rushed to a nearby wardrobe and pulled out a scarf after a moment of rummaging. "Nice of you. Here, put this on her wound and apply force. Gently! You don't want to hurt her!" Larissa ignored Aleera's expression that said otherwise and rushed through a door that let to a wash room. She gathered the proper thins to cleanse and bandage the wound, filled a stone basin with steaming water, and went back in to find Aleera struggling with Anna to keep Anna in a lying position and attempting to not get injured in the process.

"Oh, honestly, is the peace between you two nonexistent?" Anna looked to Larissa in surprise, giving Aleera the chance to push her back down into the pillows. "You again?"

Larissa set the stuff she was holding down on the stand next to the bed. "If only I had an acre for every single time I've been asked that in the past week, I'd own," she paused dramatically, pretending to count on her fingers, "I'd own all of Europe!"

"Stop the histrionics love. Clean her wound so I can heal it." Larissa gave a cheeky grin and did as she was told. As she finished and pulled away, Larissa noticed someone missing.

"Aleera? Where's Verona." She sounded dead serious, not even letting the question sound like one.

Aleera healed Anna's wound before looking at Larissa sort of speechless. "She…Larissa, she-um…" Anna's gaze drifted between the two. Larissa sensed the uncertainty and hurt coming from Aleera, and unconsciously dropped the stained cloth she was holding back into the basin, blood spreading and tinting the cooling water pink.

"Again?" Larissa whispered. "Again?" She said louder, looking pup from the patterns on the comforter. The pain in her eyes refused to make way to her voice. Larissa stood, anger pushing to the foremost of her emotions. Once again, she stated, "Again."

The two women watch as the teen strode over to the first bit of clear wall she could see. A stone wall. Larissa took a step and threw all her weight and strength behind her fist. The winced as she gave a cry of sorrow and sunk to the floor, relatively unharmed, shaking, but refusing to shed tears.

The women stared at the damage Larissa had caused to the innocent stone. It looked as though it had begun to collapse upon itself, cracks spidering out form the point of impact, and the stone chipping off in large chunks. Surprisingly, it was Anna who moved forward to comfort Larissa first.

"Larissa, are you okay?" However, Aleera was not far behind. "Larissa? Oh, love, it'll be okay, you'll see."

"Verona! Aleera!" Dracula's voice came faintly through the halls. Larissa just shook harder as he said this. Aleera looked regretful as she let go of the embrace she had taken Larissa in. Anna was quickly at her side, earning a glare from Aleera; Anna glared right back, her intensity perhaps stronger than her counterparts. Aleera left to inform Dracula of the current happenings.

"Larissa," Anna prodded gently, "_are _you okay?"

Larissa seemed to shake out of her state. "That is what I should be asking you! You're the one who got knocked out by an angry Vampiress! On the bed. Now!" Surprised by the teen's turn of moods, Anna scrambled back onto the bed.

Larissa stood, composure somewhat in place, and she sat on the edge of the bed, next to Anna. She then pulled back Anna's hair where the injury to her head had been. "Larissa, I'm fine. I've had worse." Larissa didn't let Anna push her aside.

"You are fine. It doesn't even look like you were hurt." An inhuman scream tore through the palace at that moment.

"I think she told him." That simple statement had quite the impact. Larissa went to sit out on the balcony while Anna remained and rested on the bed (she hadn't slept the night before, after all). Larissa gazed at the completely overcast sky, which stretched out above the city of Budapest. Aleera came in the room in a fury.

She stepped out onto the balcony next to Larissa. "Love, I've got something to deliver. The master wants you and Anna to rest, and then he wants you both to decide what you're going to wear to the ball."

Larissa nodded her understanding right before Aleera turned, sprinted and leaped off the balcony. Even knowing better, Larissa still rushed to the edge to check if Aleera was alright. She was too; flying towards the outskirts of Budapest. Giving a half-hearted sigh, Larissa returned inside to find Anna deep asleep, however restless it may be. Larissa's mouth twitched, almost smiling, as she ended up tugging a pillow out of Anna's grasp. Larissa went and threw the pillow down on the fur rug before the fireplace, and collapsed on top of it, gaining comfort from the familiarity of the stance in which she was in. Her father would read to her, or talk to her, and sometimes even sing (although those occasions were _very_ rare, much to Larissa's satisfaction) to her from a couch behind her while she lay in front of the fire to get asleep at night. She almost expected to hear his voice call out to break the silence.

Slowly but surely, Larissa's eyes grew heavy, and she fell asleep watching the flames dance before her eyes.

Anna was never a person to lay in bed awake, not was she ever unaware of her surroundings when she woke. So almost as soon as her eyes were fully open, she lifter herself into a sitting position. Anna scanned the room, quickly spotting the teen on the floor.

Anna quietly observed Larissa, who appeared peaceful. She reminded Anna of someone, she just couldn't name who. Suddenly, Larissa's face contorted in fear; an expression Anna never expected to see from the strong willed girl before her.

Anna quickly jumped to wake the girl the moment Larissa voiced her first sleep induced whimper; she couldn't let the girl suffer, even if it looked as though she was on the vampire's side. Larissa shot up nearly hitting Anna's head with her own, her blue eyes wide, and taking in shallow shuddering breaths.

"Shh, it was just a dream." Anna soothed.

"I know." Larissa returned shortly. "Come on. We have to pick out those dresses we're going to wear." Anna didn't want to upset the girl, so headed to the closet with her. When they opened the door, both could have sworn they had just entered a confetti shop; there were dozens of gowns of all shape, size, and definitely color.

"Anna, we'll pick for you first. Color?"

"Not white. Or pink! No pink. That's Aleera's domain." Come to think of it, that _was_ the only color Larissa had seen her wear.

"_Any_ color then?" Larissa gave a mischievous grin, causing Anna to pale slightly. Larissa stepped over to some orange, lime green and bright purple dresses hanging closer to the back. She made herself appear to be contemplating before reaching out towards the lime green dress.

Anna was protesting in the background, but Larissa paid her no heed, moving her hand as slow as she dared, giving Anna plenty, yet not enough, time to make a move…

Larissa reached over and pulled out a gorgeous crimson gown that had been wedged between two of the eccentrically colored dresses.

"Not this one? Well, if you're sure…" Larissa said playfully.

"That wasn't nice." Anna grumbled as she snatched the dress out of Larissa's grasp. Larissa tried not to laugh as she grabbed a random dress and hurried out of the closet.

"Who said I was nice?" Larissa asked casually, flipping her semi-dark hair out of her eyes as she did so.

"Well, I never said, I assumed, due to the way you've acted thus far. My mistake it seems." Anna said.

"Quite. Do you know how long we were asleep? It doesn't look any different outside to me." Anna looked out the balcony too. "It looks a bit darker."

"Really? I never would have guessed. So how do we know if today is the masquerade of if we just slept for a couple of hours?" Larissa pouted.

"We'll just have to wait." Anna directed.

"I guess so, but that doesn't make it anymore enjoyable." Anna rolled her eyes at Larissa's grumbling.

After a while, Larissa stood abruptly and moved to the door. She sighed in frustration before once again sitting on her bed; the door was locked. "They barricaded us in! Now I can't even go look for the library. Don't you just _love_ that?"

"Don't feel bad. It was probably more to keep me in than you. You seem to have pretty much free reign."

"Yeah, to the places not locked and chained up." oh yeas, there were many of those all over the Frankenstein and Dracula castles. "Not that I'm complaining or anything. I usually tent to not _want_ to leave those places. But there's a lot of unexplored territory."

Suddenly, the door rattled slightly and was pushed open, to reveal Aleera already made for the masquerade. When she saw that they were just sitting there on the bed staring into space, she fairly flipped. "Go and change, princess! We don't have all night; the masquerade starts in two hours!" Anna glared at Aleera, but went into the adjoining room anyway. Aleera then made noises of approval at Larissa's choice of dress.

"What?" Larissa asked, misinterpreting the sounds.

"Goes nice with you hair; eyes especially." Aleera stopped as Anna came out of the adjoining room, scarlet dress swishing at every move. "Alright Anna; you come sit here. Larissa, go change."

So Larissa went and changed, and considering she hardly ever wore dresses, she thought she did fairly well putting it on…until she reached the corset. Of course, she just had to pick a dress with a corset. Figuring that it couldn't be too hard to put on since Anna had had it all done within minutes, she went about trying to lace it up. Then predictably lost her balance and toppled to the ground.

Having heard her crash o the ground, Anna and Aleera hurried into the room, to find Larissa sprawled across the ground rubbing the side of her head and scowling at nothing in particular. Seeing the very obvious reason for her sudden contact with the ground, Anna started giggling while Aleera moved to help Larissa up. Unfortunately, in the process, Aleera must have slipped or something, because she ended up on the floor next to Larissa. Anna's laughing spiked up Larissa's need to laugh, which in turn made Aleera look disgruntled.

"Careful, Princess," she said threateningly, which didn't actually do anything, considering her position on the floor. Anna did stop laughing, however.

Larissa fumbled into a standing position and helped Aleera up, who was saying, "I think that's the first time in sixteen years that I've fallen down on accident. You broke my record girl." She scowled in mock anger.

"I try, don't you know?" Larissa said flippantly. "Now, could you _please_ help me with this thing? Honestly, I don't know how you do it Anna."

"Lots of practice. Hold on to something." Anna took hold of the laces and pulled. Hard.

By the time the corset was done right, Larissa had officially decided she was _never_ going to wear one again, just so she didn't have to go through the process of putting it on.

As Larissa didn't feel up to anymore pampering, she was going to leave her hair down, so while Anna pulled her hair up with a comb )she had forcefully not let either Larissa nor Aleera touch it), Aleera sat on the bed while Larissa lay down, trying to get used to the constricted space for her to breathe within.

After a moment, Larissa spoke into the silence. "This is so confusing, you know."

"What is love?" Aleera said softly.

"This whole affair. I don't know who I should oppose!"

"Oppose…oh, you mean because Anna's the other potential?"

"Exactly! How the heck am I suppose to side? The situation is rather awkward, if you think about it." Anna was staring at them, confused in none the slightest.

"That it is, love, that it is. Confusing Anna is rather entertaining, but I've got to go check on something. See you both at the masquerade." With that, Aleera swept out of the room.

Several minutes later, Anna finally started to say something…only to be cut off as Dracula appeared in the room right behind Anna and said, "Ms. Valerious." Anna jumped and turned as she backed away, not taking an eye off Dracula's whereabouts.

"Jumpy, isn't she?"

"Only where you're concerned Count."

"Who's side are you on Larissa!"

"Now Anna, I understand why you wonder. Tell you the truth, I don't rightfully know. I'm kind of stuck with Dracula though."

"Why-"

Anna stopped talking and her eyes closed. She looked as though she was in a trance of some sort, or maybe sleepwalking was more like it…

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**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	7. The ball

Ok, I'm sorry, I know I've been taking forever in my previous chapters to update, so here is the next as a sort of apology. It's not as long as I would have liked, but it should tide you over until I get the next chapter typed up.

Disclaimer-don't own, suing in this case, is illegal. Besides, you'd only get 37 half finished stories. Not too much to look at, I promise.

**Chapter 7: the ball**

"Come Princess. The ball awaits." Anna stepped forward, eyes closed, and took Dracula's hand. "Larissa," he said. Larissa nodded and left with the two. The corridors got more and more decorated as the got closer to the ballroom. They passed through the entrance, a room of white marble, black velvet and gold, a grand staircase that was extremely wide at the bottom and tapered off at the top slightly. They only stopped for Dracula and Anna to put on masks before entering the ballroom, which was opened by two butlers.

The ball was amazing; people had already arrived and there was a full floor. The dancers moved in perfect synchronization, and looked like they came out of a portrait. While Dracula lead Anna to a spot on the dance floor, Larissa moved around the edge of the room in search of Aleera, dodging the acrobats, and even someone who had taken it upon themselves to balance a sword on their tongue.

She finally spotted her up on the second floor and sighed in frustration. Leaving the room to glide up the grand staircase outside the ballroom entrance, Larissa was kind of surprised to see that no one was going up or coming down from the second floor. As she turned at the top, she saw two dark figures behind her going up the stairs. She stood in the shadows and watched them scurry up the stairs as though they didn't want to be seen-which they probably didn't, Larissa decided as she saw who it was: Van Helsing and the monk. They turned in the opposite direction, obviously having seen Larissa turn the way she did.

Larissa hurried to the upper level entrance to the ballroom (the level that really only overlooked the room) and tapped Aleera's shoulder. Aleera smiled at her from where she was sitting on the railing-one leg up on the stone while the other rested against the side of the balcony-and handed her a mask; Larissa looked at it momentarily, only catching black and silver before putting it on; it matched her smoky gray dress with pitch black embroidery. Larissa observed the second level. There where two platforms opposite each other, but were not connected by anything you could walk on; ropes and wires for the acrobats to do tricks on, and some streamers were all.

As a new song started up, Larissa turned and searched out Dracula and Anna-which was fairly easy, considering Anna had the brightest colored dress in the room. They moved together like they had danced this dance many times before, like they knew exactly what the other was going to do.

"Okay, no offense or anything, but they really do look good togeth-ew! Okay, never mind!"

Aleera laughed at Larissa's reaction to when Dracula kissed Anna, who vehemently broke the kiss, even though she couldn't get too violent over it; Dracula looked like he had her underneath a spell or something and she couldn't control her own body. Had she been able, she probably would have thrown a punch or something; instead, she spoke. Larissa stared at Aleera incredulously. "How can you laugh? Verona just died, and Dracula's kissing someone who's not you!"

"One, as a vampire, you tend to get used to death and get over it fairly quickly. Two, I'm not all that surprised; he's been interested in her since she was fourteen, from what I understand."

"And she's…?"

"Thirty-five. But you are right. They do look alarmingly good together."

A sudden movement caught Larissa's eye. "Hey Aleera. Look up and strait ahead." Aleera did so.

"Not too surprised about that either. I was the one who told them to come. Well, on my masters orders; if I'd had my way, I'd have just thrown them over a cliff and be done with it. But he wants to 'play with them' a bit."

Larissa raised an eyebrow in surprise, but didn't say anything and returned her gaze to Van Helsing on the opposite platform. The monk was nowhere to be seen.

"Look."

Larissa returned her gaze to Dracula. He was holding Anna parallel to the floor, but she was too far away to see shat he was doing. Next thing she knew, Anna was on the ground and getting off her feet dazedly, Dracula's robes were on fire, and the monk was hurrying away out of the room, bending over so that Dracula couldn't see him over the people standing around in shock as Dracula shed the cloak he wore over his regular clothing. Then Van Helsing swung down on a wire and swept Anna off the floor onto the same landing as they were on.

Larissa groaned. "This is why I never watch the main scene; the side scenes are infinitely more interesting. We missed Van Helsing potentially falling to his doom!" Aleera rolled her eyes at Larissa's drama. Van Helsing hadn't seen them; he was too busy listening to what Dracula was saying. Anna, after she was completely out of the trance did notice them. However, Larissa was trying to avoid being caught in another hug by staying behind Aleera as the Frankenstein monster was brought in. When Igor and his group of dwergi left the room, Dracula returned to talking to Van Helsing, which didn't last very long, because he set the guests on him. Each and every one of the guests and acrobats hissed and their jaws lengthened, showing very long, sharp vampire teeth. "Is everyone in here a vampire?" Larissa exclaimed in surprise.

Moments later, the rush of vampires in the room below began pouring out of the room. "Come on!" Larissa looked over to see Van Helsing starting to run, and Anna picking up a weapon in preparation to fight. "Come _on!_" Van Helsing yelled, pulling Anna along. It didn't take her much pulling though, and she was going faster than Van Helsing was. She somehow managed to catch Larissa's arm and started pulling/pushing her along with them.

Before Aleera had time to react to Larissa's screamed protest, they were gone and running from a pack of rabid vampires. Considering she was in danger also and considering she was still a human, Larissa upped the speed at which she was running. She didn't even hear Aleera's commanding voice order the vampires away from her. Apparently neither did half the vampires, because several were hot on Larissa's tail, grabbing at her trailing dress and hair. She ran through a pair of doors, which were quickly slammed shut and locked.

Larissa was panting. Stupid dress. The monk came in through a side door holding something in the air. "Now I know what it's for, now I know what it's for!…Where are we going?"

"Through that window!" yelled Van Helsing and Anna at the same time. Larissa pulled out of their grip and stopped running, glaring at them in a huff. "We are? _Why?"_ Van Helsing just took one of her arms and one of the monks and through the stained glass window along with Anna and his cargo.

They landed in the moat around the palace. Suddenly, a flash of white hot light spread through and shone through every window and door in the palace. "No!" Larissa looked devastated and didn't care why the other three were looking at her in confusion; Dracula had been telling her about vampires and what they could do, what could kill them, and that, and sunlight was one of those things. Anna, at least, had _some_ experience with the teen and grabbed her to keep her afloat when she stopped treading water.

"Come on Larissa, you can go into shock when it's less dangerous-dang it girl, swim! That's it, over to Van Helsing." Larissa sighed, but swam over to the gate Van Helsing was pounding against. "You just had to pull us into a dang moat while we were in dresses, didn't you?"

"What?"

"Nothing." Larissa held onto the wrought iron gate while Van Helsing had little episode concerning the monk and some pouting, along with possessed growls and the like. After the first minute or so it got old and Larissa stared at the ink-black sky; it had started to rain.

Larissa nearly slipped under the water in surprise when she heard that unique, inhumane screech, followed by an evil, sorrowful laugh. "Anna! They're alive, they're alive!" Larissa's happy, maniacal laughter had the three staring at her, but she didn't care. Eventually she calmed down, but the elation remained. She didn't even care that Van Helsing was cursing that they _weren't_ dead, and the monk was hitting his head lightly on the metal bars. Anna didn't say anything, but she looked frustrated.

"So what's your plan? To get the monster back, I mean. Obviously you need to keep it away from Dracula (not that I really care)." The three looked between each other for a moment.

"First things first. Into dry clothes, then we're off to Frankenstein Castle." Anna said.


	8. The Portraits

**Chapter 8**

At the castle, Larissa subtly directed the group towards the right floor they were looking for, but otherwise followed them. They passed the lab six times before Larissa just sat next to the door and watched them pass several more times before they came to her. "Do you know the way, girl?" Van Helsing said gruffly.

Larissa acted extremely aggravated and exasperated. "Finally! You know, you walked past this door like, ten times before even considering that I might know." She hit the door next to her with the palm of her hand.

"So do you?" Anna asked.

"No. I only stopped her for a reason."

"I _told_ you she would know!" the monk said superiorly.

"Oh, shut up Carl." Van Helsing muttered. 'So _that's_ his name.' Larissa thought. As the two started to argue back and forth, Larissa got extremely frustrated.

Anna, who seemed used to their bickering, pushed them apart so that she could get into the lab. Van Helsing and Carl stopped fighting to look at each other and hurried to follow her. Larissa traipsed through the door after them, only to hear their endings of self-pity.

"…We've been looking for him for more than four hundred years!" Anna said, moving her hands to emphasize her point.

Carl looked around Van Helsing and put his hands on his hips. "Yes, well, I wasn't around for those four hundred years, now was I?" Anna stared at him, Van Helsing turned to stare at him, and Larissa leaned against the door frame of the entrance of the lab…staring at him.

"You've found something out?" Van Helsing asked. Carl responded in a very annoying voice that said 'I know something you done, and I'm going to withhold it from you for as long as I want because I can and it's fun to make you suffer'. He said, "I'll tell you at Valerious manor." They hurried back out of the castle, Anna ending up having to convince Larissa to go with them.

Very little was said as they go horses to ride back to Anna's home. Van Helsing kept trying to talk to Larissa, but she shrugged him off and kept closer to Anna and Carl. Anna and Carl eve prodded at her a bit but realized she didn't wish to talk. Larissa didn't know why she didn't want to answer their questions; when Verona, Marishka, and Aleera had inquired about her, she had practically given them her life story. She blamed emotional stress for that occurrence, but found no reason to hold information from them since they had known her almost as well as herself. However, she wouldn't even tell them (Anna, Carl, and Van Helsing) her age.

As they neared Anna's manor, Larissa mulled the though over in her head. There had to be a reason besides she didn't tangle with strangers well! Larissa was jerked out of her thoughts as Van Helsing lifted her off the horse she was on and sat her down in front of him. Van Helsing was the only one to notice that Larissa jerked back from him as though his touch burned her; the other two were already inside, and Larissa hurried after them as though nothing had happened, not so closely followed by Van Helsing.

They made their way through elaborate halls, which glinted in the firelight of the torches. The most revered thing, it seemed, were the weapons that lined the halls in every way imaginable, but the most alluring adornment any place they passed, was a perfect, every detail there, map of Transylvania, painted right there on the wall.

When they reached the study up in a tower, Larissa pretty much stopped listening when Van Helsing said, "Well Carl, what have you learned?" She stopped because Carl started saying many a thing she had read about when she was at Frankenstein Castle. Instead, her attention was drawn to the opposite side of the room where portraits were hanging. Larissa started at the beginning of the row.

The first was of a man and his wife (you could tell by the way he had an arm about her waist), both of which had traits similar to Velkan and Anna. The man had short, wavy, dirty blonde hair. His eyes were brown and had a shine in his eyes that was captured in the portrait masterfully. He was tall and wore the very decorative clothes of the nobles-except in his case he was royalty. The woman had Dark brown hair with natural highlights that accentuated her pale skin. In contrast, she had deep blue eyes that stood out in her dark outfit. She seemed to be happy, but a shadow was over her face, giving her an ominous expression.

The next was what seemed to be a family portrait, the couple with a boy of about one, his blue eyes shining bright, and sitting at their feet. The next one, the boy was older, and then came the first appearance of a baby girl. The portraits after that seemed yearly (though who could tell). After about the thirteenth family portrait, the mother stopped showing; death the most suspected culprit. Every year, you could tell the family was more heavily weighted on. The children's expressions got more serious and distant as they grew into adults, although they still had that shine in their eyes that said they were happy to be alive with their family. Then there wasn't another family portrait, but that of Prince Velkan Valerious as indicated by the plaque on the frame beneath, alone and no trace of emotion on his face. The next was of Anna. She looked to be in her late teens, early twenties. She too was alone, but her expression was that of loneliness and loss.

Suddenly Larissa was hit with the sight of a black velvet curtain which reached from just above the portraits and reached down to brush the stone floor and was long enough to cover two or three more portraits before the wall ended. Larissa reached up to pull the rope that would lift the curtain off of the portraits. She was entranced by what would have had to be hidden, felt a yearning to see.

Just as her hand touched the silk rope, her wrist was caught in a soft grip. Larissa turned to see Anna holing onto her arm, stopping her from pulling down. Anna had a somewhat sad look on her face. "Some things are better kept in the dark Larissa. I wish not to see what is behind." Anna sighed. "Come. Van Helsing thinks he's got an idea." Larissa took one last look at the covered portion of the wall before following Anna out of the study.

Van Helsing was standing in triumph in front of the map mentioned earlier. Just standing. As if he didn't know how to proceed.

"Okay, he's infinitely brilliant. A wall is your savior. A wall! I ask you." Larissa said in a rather loud whisper to Anna, sarcasm taking over. Van Helsing shot her a glare, but said, "This, I think this is the door!"

While Carl went closer to look, Larissa asked, "A door? What, are you going to break a hole in the wall?"

Anna smiled and Van Helsing growled in frustration. He pinched the bridge of his nose and ground out, "Remind me _why_ you brought her along?"

"I did because she was stuck with Dracula and his brides. And that ignoring the fact that she is human and they are (or were) vampires."

Carl cut in. "There's a Latin inscription, but I can't finish it. There's a piece missing." He gestured to a rip (so apparently it wasn't painted as originally though) in the bottom left corner, butting off sever and a half lines of the inscription. Anna, Carl, and Larissa looked to Van Helsing, who was murmuring to himself. After a while Larissa sat in one of the nearby chairs, bored, while Carl was in the other chair with a book he had fetched and Anna was sharpening the sword the she always carried at her side. "Aha!"

Carl jumped and fell off his seat as Van Helsing reached into a pocket in the overcoat he wore and pulled out a scroll. Anna sheathed her sword and stood next to Van Helsing when he unrolled the ripped bit of yellowing parchment. "Carl, finish it!" Carl scrambled to retrieve the parchment and lay nearly flat on his stomach as he finished the map and inscription. He said a string of Latin words, which Van Helsing translated.

"In the name of God, open this door."

Slivers of reflective material crept from the center of the map along the rivers and letters before expanding. The whole process took less than thirty seconds before the whole map was the equivalent to a mirror.

"What does it mean? Dracula has no reflection in the mirror." Anna said.

"But why?" Van Helsing said.

"Maybe…maybe to Dracula it isn't a mirror at all." Carl concluded. Van Helsing took this into consideration before moving to touch the mirror-like substance. His hand went strait through, and from where his hand moved, ice-like cracks appeared.

"It's cold. And it's snowing." He took his hand out of the substance and it was covered in snow.

"Good job Van Helsing." Larissa said, stepping to the mirror, in which she could see him making a face and move to defend himself. "That wasn't sarcasm." She informed him and smirked. He was sputtering as she moved through the substance, which felt like a cool, comforting presence before she was hit with a blast of frigid air.

The first thing she saw was a dead tree with decayed skeleton's hanging from its branches, slightly blowing in the wind. A noise came from behind her and she moved to the side. Van Helsing moved through with a torch in hand, closely followed by Anna, also with a torch. They looked at the mirror for a moment, but Carl did not follow. The three of them set off to the mountain sized castle about one hundred meters away from them.

The noise came again, but was quickly followed by a think. "I see Carl saw the skeletons." Larissa muttered. Van Helsing smiled and Anna gave a short, slightly nervous laugh.

Carl joined them in their trek to the castle shortly afterward, but they were stopped by an enormous iron door. Larissa could have sworn that Carl let out a frustrated squeak, and Van Helsing swore under his breath. However, Larissa looked merely annoyed and started searching at the base of the castle whilst the others figured out the problem.

Brownie points for those who can guess what Larissa's looking for )

I'm flattered that you think so **Fortune Zyne**. Thanks

**Catlover15489:** Thank you! Ah, well, I think I mention it later on, but I'll make up something on the spot. Hm…oh yes, after Aleera yelled at everybody not to touch Larissa, she hurried to Dracula. But before she could tell Dracula that they (Anna and Van Helsing) had taken Larissa, Dracula sensed the sun bomb thing of Carl's and pushed Aleera behind one of the curtains (and that worked for her not getting hurt because those curtains were like two to three inches thick back then). Dracula's like the supreme vampire of all time, so sun doesn't hurt him. Does that help? I hope it does.

**Princess Airiana:** No, I don't think that Larissa's going to be completely loyal to anyone. I think she's just unsure of what she should do, since she doesn't know who her mother is yet, and she's made friends with the brides and made an acquaintance with Anna, so she's a bit confused. So am I, actually. Tell you the truth, I was running myself in circles the other day about this very thing while I was trying to explain it to some of my friends. ) However, I don't think she's going to like Van Helsing much (can't you tell?)


	9. why?

Chapter 9

"I can't get you all up there at once." Van Helsing said, noticing an entrance at the top over the door.

"Take them then." Larissa said, spotting one of those side doors. She looked at it in appreciation. It was infinitely easier, and she didn't have to get closer to Van Helsing than necessary.

Larissa frowned at that thought but rushed to the door and threw her shoulder against it; it gave way almost immediately. She was in before the other three even reached the top. They looked startled to see Larissa in already when they landed, but it didn't last because Van Helsing started growling and got this crazed look in his eyes.

"Let's go." He said when he got control over himself. They followed him, but it was clear he had no idea where he was going.

"Hey Anna," Larissa asked, "What was with Van Helsing back there?"

"He's been bitten by a werewolf." She said abruptly.

Larissa wasn't done, however. "Speaking of werewolves, what happened to Velkan? He went with Verona and Aleera."

"He was killed." Anna said angrily and shot a glare a Van Helsing, which she thought Larissa couldn't see. Larissa really was starting to not like Van Helsing. He killed Marishka, and now Velkan, and he was the cause of Verona's death, from what she was led to believe. Maybe that's why she was uncomfortable around him; her subconscious know before she did.

The sound of metal embedding itself in stone brought her attention to Van Helsing where he was threatening Igor with a wire clipper. A screech cut off all speech. As soon as it was done, Igor said, "My master has awakened." A second later, a yell was heard and some machinery was faintly heard.

Van Helsing, Anna and Carl rushed to the window nearby, which was adorned with blackened metal bars. Larissa however, moved and tried to pull out the weapon that was pinning Igor to the wall. She wasn't strong enough though.

"The master knew that they'd bring you back. Play along and do they say." Igor whispered to Larissa. She nodded and moved back as Anna stepped away from the window. "Come. We must find it!"  
"Wait a minute! Why does Dracula have a cure?" Van Helsing said.

"I don't care."

"I do," he looked at Igor. "Why does he have a cure? _Why? _" Igor just groaned reluctantly.

"Because, because the only thing that can kill him is a werewolf. The painting…that's what it meant."  
"But Dracula has been using werewolves to do his bidding for centuries." Anna protested.

"Yes," Carl reasoned, "but it one ever had the will to turn against him, he'd need a cure so that he could turn it human again before it bit him."

Van Helsing turned back to Igor. "Where is the cure?"

Larissa spoke. "It's funny that you aren't asking someone who would probably be willing to give you directions. Especially since she's been here before…"

"Do you know?" He asked her.

"Nope!" She said innocently. Van Helsing growled and Anna asked, "Then why did you say that?"

"I was just wondering _why_ you hadn't asked!" Van Helsing turned back to Igor with a muttered, 'kids' and demanded directions.

"The tower over there, that's where it is."

"…and the other tower?" He subtly threatened again.

"That is where we set up the laboratory. Would I lie to you?"  
"Not if you wanted to live. You will take these three and lead them to the antidote." Igor looked like he wanted to protest, but didn't. Instead he set off at a brisk pace in the direction of the east tower. Carl followed, Anna got pulled back by Van Helsing to say something, and Larissa tried to sneak off in the opposite direction. That actually didn't work too well, considering Van Helsing caught her by the arm and pushed her in the 'right' direction, and watched that she stayed with them until they reached the base of the tower.

All thoughts of trying to sneak off left the moment she was caught a second time. She looked up in exasperation and spotted Aleera posed stably up in the rafters' above, watching them. Larissa smiled and saw Aleera wink before disappearing.

Carl looked suspicious at Larissa's sudden compliance, and watched her closely, but otherwise didn't mention it. Larissa on her part was trying to act as though she gave up, which was probably why Carl caught on so fast.

Several times Igor started to slow but kept going as Anna threatened him in various ways. For that, Larissa glared at Anna, but didn't say much of anything. It got colder and colder as the climbed the tower and Larissa was _really_ starting to regret not taking something to block the wind from penetrating her clothes.

"There it is." Igor drawled to the others, heading forward until Anna put an arm out in front of him.

"I'll go first."  
Larissa followed Anna through the door towards a syringe gloating in a clear material in a tank in the middle of a circular room. Carl followed too, almost hesitantly. Apparently he wasn't fast enough for Igor, because he kicked Carl into the room and pulled a lever, dropping a gate in the only way out of the room.

Larissa sighed, annoyed as Carl and Anna started pondering over the tank. Then she gave up all hope for them when they started, "Grab it." "No, you grab it." And leaned against a pillar and scrutinized her nails.

"Go ahead, grab it."

"You go ahead and grab it. If its one thing I've learned, it's never to be the first one to stick your hand into a viscous material."

Without any of the noticing, Aleera crept down from the ceiling using some form of anti-gravitation and screeched whilst contorting her features. Anna and Carl jumped and both rounded the tank so that they were on the opposite side from Aleera.

"Did I scare you?" she said, clearly amused.

"N-no!" Carl responded in a high voice that squeaked as he finished.

"Then maybe I need to try a little harder." Aleera laughed, amused at Carl's face of alarm that sprung onto his face the moment she said that. Anna, being the cool one in situations like this, lurched forward and pushed the tank over so that it splashed onto Aleera as it shattered, causing her to erupt in cries of temporary pain.

Larissa stepped carefully around the acidic liquid, away from it seeing as it was coming in her direction as Carl gave a word, something along the line of 'I told you so' to Anna. Anna wasn't amused and pushed Carl towards the antidote that was rolling across the slightly uneven stone floor. "Get it!" Anna then went to the smashed glass on the floor and carefully lifted a large piece of glass with the material still resting in it and threw it onto the metal barricade. Larissa glanced over and watched the door seemingly melt away where the acid touched it.

Carl was playing hot potato with the antidote on the way through the hole in the door; Anna was pushing him, hurrying him through, but didn't make it in time to go out herself. Aleera pulled Anna back and pushed her against a wall to keep her in place, but looked like she wanted to go after the antidote. "Don't mind the monk; he'll do what he needs to do." Larissa said across the room, finally making the passage across the mess of acid.

Carl, who was only a few stairs down the staircase, hollered back, "Actually, I'm just a friar!"

"Keep running CARL!" Anna shouted to him, and he hurried to comply. Anna struggled to get out of Aleera's death grip, but could hardly move.

"You can't go until I say you can!" Aleera said, the skin eaten away by the acid stitching itself back together, while Anna got a look on her face. "And I say you can go when you're dead!" Aleera threw her across the room, slowly walking after her. Larissa looked in shock while the two fought their battle. Anna refused to be tossed about and took the liberty to fight Aleera, running half way up a wall and grabbing one of the torches out of its bracket. Aleera seemed to have expected that though, and calmly blew it out, laughing at the simplicity of the situation. She turned about until she was a blur and all the light in the room was extinguished, in the case of one, which was promptly blown out when Aleera came to a halt.

Larissa had stopped moving the moment the fires went out, being perilously close to the acid at the moment, and did not want to change sticking her foot in it; so she merely pushed herself up against the wall so that she had some stability. Through the twilight, she could almost see Anna starting to panic while Aleera stood there silently. Lightening flashed across the room and suddenly Aleera was lost in the gloom, causing Anna to brandish her unlit torch a bit more firmly.

The silence pushed away all thought, letting the lightening take over every now and then, and Larissa started to grow tense. Once again the lightening flashed, but this time Aleera appeared directly in front of Larissa, getting a small yelp from her.

"Larissa! Are you alright?" Anna called out frantically.

Recovering from the shock, Larissa called out to her in the darkness, "Sorry! I ran into a wall!" Aleera was so close that even through the dark she could see her trying not to laugh. As Aleera stepped over next to Larissa, the girl started to relax. Aleera was there, things would be okay for the moment. Aleera leaned down slightly and spoke ever so quietly into Larissa's ear, the girl was having a hard time trying not to tell her to speak up.

"Go down the stairs and across the south bridge. Run fast, lightening has been hitting it fairly often tonight. The lab is there in that tower. The master will protect you Love."

"But—"

"Go, please go."

"Don't hurt her!"

Aleera looked surprised at this request and didn't answer. "Go!"

Larissa stumbled across the room in the direction Aleera pushed her. Her eyes seemed completely incapable of adjusting to this lighting. At the door Larissa looked back and saw Aleera backhand Anna across the room as lightening rang, before she quickly exited. Outside the room and down the stairs a bit, the torches were once again lit, and it took Larissa much less time to navigate down the stairs. The only problem with the bridge was that Larissa's ridiculously long hair kept blowing into her eyes, so that was a nuisance, with the rain there to keep it in place.

The tower had one hall that led directly to the lab, along with a set of stairs that led up to higher levels in the tower. "Count!" Larissa yelled when she got into the lab. "Dracula?" she began to slightly panic when he didn't answer at once.

"Quit your fretting girl. I'm here." Dracula stepped out from behind a big knot of technological equipment to see her dripping. In her state, he decided that she needed to not know about some things…and know about others. "Come Larissa, I'll explain this beautiful machine to you. It's surprisingly simple, considering what it does. To bring one person to life you don't even need somebody else. The only reason I need them is because we're trying to bring thousands of beings to life. Now if you watch what the dwergi are doing here..."

Larissa momentarily forgot what the problem across the big scary chasm was and listened raptly to Dracula as he explained the machine to her, and he was correct. The machine was _very_ easy to use, it just took longer with someone needing to be hooked up to the system. Dracula came up to the last step and was about to explain it to her when something very solid hit the ground in the room and something slammed against the wall outside of the tower. Dracula cut himself off and turned to find out what it was that caused the distraction inside and Larissa rushed out of the tower, knowing what it was that had caused the noise, and it didn't sound as though it would have been a very safe fall either.

Larissa searched quickly along the edge of the tower, where a person would have been capable of grabbing onto to stop their fall. Around the bend was Carl, who was looking sickly enough as it was without having a stake embedded two inches from his head. If he would have moved-no forget that. Larissa _shoved_ him to the side so that she could get to the other side of him and get to the main action. However, what she saw was that of Aleera's body pressed against the side of the tower while Anna tried to stand on the slippery slope so she could get the antidote to Van Helsing, where ever he was. Larissa's mind went into overdrive, and she calmly leaped the gap between the bridge and the ledge.

"Aleera?" Larissa said, and her heart lifted when the woman in question shuddered in pain. In pain, but at least she was alive.

"I'm sorry Larissa." Anna almost stepped off the edge when Larissa pinned her with a glare. Fast enough Anna and the monk were off out of her sight, before she could turn her attention back to the injured bride. "Are you—"

"Shh. No, I'm not. Stupid stakes and their stupid—" Aleera had to stop talking and grasped her stomach in pain, where blood was pooling onto her hands. When she stopped, she said, "It isn't usually this messy. You need to go help Dracula…please…" she stopped talking once again, but her eyes closed this time instead.

Larissa refused to think that Aleera was dead. She just…passed out! That's it! So, Larissa picked her up bridal style and questioningly made her way across the gap safely and into the lab. What she saw stopped her in her tracks. Dracula-well, she thought, anyways, was just a pile of bones on the floor, and Carl was standing next to Van Helsing, who in turn was leaning over Anna who was…not moving. Not breathing. Just, staring wide eyed at some invisible force. With the shocked and self-degrading look on Van Helsing's face, Larissa didn't take much time figuring out what had happened: Van Helsing had killed Anna. And Dracula. And Marishka. And Anna had killed Aleera. But Van Helsing killed more.

Larissa gently laid Aleera down next to Dracula's remains and headed over to Van Helsing. As he went to reach for her, she snapped at him, "What do you think you're doing? Don't touch her!" Larissa placed herself firmly between Anna's body and Van Helsing, who was glaring at her as though he could make her turn to a pile of ashes right that moment if he concentrated long enough.

"Just-just leave!"

Van Helsing kept glaring until Carl pulled him back and said, "Leave her for a while, women are complicated like that. She needs time." Van Helsing reluctantly followed Carl out of the tower, and Larissa fell to her knees, just calmly, sadly observing her surroundings, with nothing to lose anymore. One of these women was her mother. Now they were both gone.

**Sorry, sorry, sorry, don't hit me. I apologize for taking a lifetime, but life has been tough, so there. There is one more chapter after this, which really sets up the sequel, which I plan on typing up soon enough, but if you've read close enough you should be able to predict a bunch of stuff that's going to happen.**


	10. YOU!

**This is the routine no own, no sue. so, dont own van helsing, wish i did, but we'll all get over it. **

**Also, do any of you think i should go back and revise the whole story, just so there is more detail to it? it feels like something is missing, like there is no emotional link to the characters, and that really seems to hurt the story. justa thought...**

Epilogue

* * *

Larissa stayed in position, kneeling on the floor. The one time she moved was to get Dracula's and Aleera's bodies away from the wreckage of the burning lab. 

Larissa faintly thought how fortunate it was that none of the actual equipment was burning, but only statistics and figures laid out on scrolls.

She heard footsteps behind her and once again she had to speak. "Go _away_ Van Helsing." Her voice cracked.

"Oh no. it seems that I have arrived too late." Larissa looked up in complete shock. Was it really them?

"Don not despair child. I have a plan, you see." Larissa could only gape at the familiar figure brushing the stream of silent tears from Larissa's face. Wasn't this person suppose to be dead?

"Now my darling, why are you impersonating a fish out of water hm?" The figure waited for an answer.

When Larissa answered, it was all she could do not to collapse in tears.

"V-Verona?"

* * *

**Sorry it's so short, but** **what can i say? besides, this is the part where i get to say, "i know something you dont know!" i totally have something planned, but...  
WANT A SEQUAL? you'll have to REVIEW!**

**Thank you everybody who has reviewed so far, and i must admit they really are a motivation to get typing. hint hint**


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